Where Did It All Go Wrong For Freddy?

Martin Rogers on Yahoo Sports writes about the climb and fall of Freddy Adu-

So where did it all go wrong for Adu? Were the hype and expectations too much to handle? Or was he just never destined for stardom?

"It is difficult when young players do not have enough time to develop, when too much is asked too soon," said Hector Cuper, a well-respected Argentinean coach now in charge of Adu's Greek team, Aris. "Extra time allows for a more well-rounded game. He has ability, we can all see that."

Yet if Adu is ever to ascend to the heights he still dreams of, it will be a grind through the ranks and a constant battle to overturn perception of him as a bust. European soccer is a cutthroat world, and there won't be anything easy about it.

"I want to be one of the best players to play this sport one day," Adu said in a recent interview with Sports Illustrated. "I still have the chance to do that, and I want to work hard to get there."

"Getting there" is no longer a given. Recent signs have been reasonable, with some solid performances for Aris taking him to the brink of the 30-man U.S. squad after he was barely in contention months earlier. However, there is still a long and uncertain way to go.

"Freddy is still young and he will tell you there are things along the way he did right and things he did wrong," Bradley said. "Now he has to take all those things to the situation he is in and show he is continuing to grow."

Adu's Twitter account was silent early Tuesday, perhaps a reflection of the bitter disappointment he must have seen coming.

Freddy Adu is 20 years old and he feels like yesterday's man. Maybe his time will still come, but it won't be this summer.